11 of the Best Vegan Backpacks for Women Travellers

11 of the Best Vegan Backpacks for Women Travellers

best vegan backpacks for women travellers

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Vegan products are not exactly easy to find, especially in brick and mortar stores. But lucky we have the internet these days, and that makes the task of hunting down a vegan backpack for women much easier. 

I am not a vegan myself, but during our trip to Poland, we made friends with Lena, an amazing lady who was one, and during one of our chats we got to talking about vegan products, more specifically ethical vegan backpacks! 

She is a self-confessed shopaholic as well as an avid traveler, which was perfect as we enlisted her help in selecting the best vegan products for our readers. This is the first in a series of vegan products for travellers that we will be starting, so strap in and read the first episode now!

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At A Glance: Our Top Choices

Best Overall:
Matt and Nat




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Runner Up: Solgaard


solgaard-design-shoretex-solar-powered-backpack


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Best Budget: Vaude


vaude-wizard


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What does Vegan mean?

For the uninitiated, you might mistake vegans and vegetarians. In really simple words, a vegan is a type of vegetarian, and they only consume food that excludes meat, dairy, eggs, basically anything derived from animals. Very often, vegans also extend their practice to products they use, which means they avoid buying anything that is made from animal sources.

vegan backpacks brands

What is a vegan product?

One of the best ways to figure that out is by looking at the label. These are often specialty products and you will find them labeled with “Suitable for Vegans”, “Made for Vegans”, “Certified Vegan Product” or the like. At the same time, you are also likely to see a statement indicating it is cruelty-free, which means that no animal testing was involved in the production at all.

vegan-certification

But frankly speaking, we both feel that it is really difficult, or almost impossible to have a 100% true blue vegan product if you were to nit pick. Let’s say that plastics were used in the production process either as ingredients or containers for materials, does that mean they are no longer vegan? Where do we draw the line then? Here is an interesting read.

Our conclusion was that as long as the companies were transparent and used animal free materials to manufacture the end product, we would include them in this list.

Equally important is that these companies are showing that they are actively reducing their impact to wildlife and ultimately, the planet we live on.

The Best Vegan Backpacks for Travellers

Together with Lena, we sat in front of a laptop and trawled the internet for the best vegan backpacks for women. It is actually quite amazing the variety on offer – faux leather, recycled plastic, upcycled plastic – it was mind-boggling. 

We also made sure that they were suitable for travellers as well, whether it is a short getaway or full-on 2 week trip. Get your wallets ready as we show you 11 of our favourites.

1. Matt and Nat Bremen Backpack


Material: Vegan Leather

Colours: Black, Chill Matte Nickel, Olive, Clear Black (above)

Measurement: 13”W x 16.5”H x 5.75”D (33 X 42 X 14.6 cm)


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Matt and Nat is our top pick for a ladies vegan backpack. The designs are clean and simple, and can be used for any occasion, be it a short weekend trip and a longer jaunt. 

The brand name is actually derived from two words that guide their philosophy: Material and Nature. We love that! 

Based in Montreal, Canada, they have been producing excellent eco friendly stuff since 2o07, and the line includes footwear, dog accessories and even diaper bags! 

From the beginning, they have focused clearly on sustainability, a common theme you will find throughout all the brands here, and they generally make use of vegan leather. That translates to polyurethane, although PVC is sometimes utilised too to a much smaller extent. 

Other materials commonly used includes cork, nylon as well as recycled bottles.

2. Solgaard Design: ShoreTex Lifepack


solgaard-design-shoretex-solar-powered-backpack

Material: Recycled Ocean Plastic

Colours: Charcoal, Atlantic Blue, Maldivian Blue (above), Baltic Black, Granada Green Camo

Measurement: 11.6″W x 18.5″H x 7″D (29.5 x 47 x 17.8 cm)


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Solgaard has an ambitious goal: to reduce ocean plastics in half by 2025. 

In case you didn’t know, there is a crap load of plastics in our oceans. You might have seen washed up whales or turtles where these harmful stuff was found in their digestive tracts. 

In fact, there is an area known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that is made up of entirely, you guessed it, garbage. This crazy place is 3 times the size of France, and doesn’t seem to show signs of abating. 

Solgaard teams up with locals to pull plastics from the ocean and turn them into useful products. Their products are 100% made of recycled ocean plastics, and has pulled over 75000 lbs from the oceans. 

The designs are simple but serves its purpose very well. This model might be a 2019 model, but it remains an excellent travel backpack. 

3. Wilby Bailey Beige Backpack


Material: Vegan Cork Leather

Colours: Biege

Measurement: 11″W x 11.8″H x 3.9″D (28 x 30 x 10 cm)


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Wilby flies under the radar for most shoppers, probably due to the fact that it does not do much marketing outside of listing on a few online stores.

They first starting out making clutch bags, but has since evolved to include other types of accessories including backpacks. 

The Bailey is well designed with 2 large pockets so that you can organise your stuff easily, plus there is a strait fastener to ensure you can pack up and go quickly. 

Wilby has chosen to use vegan cork leather to produce this backpack, ensuring that no animals were harmed. These processes are certified, so you can definitely buy without any sense of doubt. 

Bailey is made in a rather small size, but that makes it perfect to get around when you are exploring a city, plus it looks classy! 

4. Nukak Acre Recycled Backpack


Nukak-acre-recycled-backpack

Material: Recycled truck tires inner tubes

Colours: Black

Measurement: 13″W x 23.6″H (33 x 60 cm)


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Hailing from Barcelona, Nukak takes discarded items and gives them a second life. One of their most popular items are bags made from recycled banners. That also means that each piece is unique on its own! 

As of right now, 3 types of materials make up the bulk of the production, namely kitesurfing sails, inner tubes of tires, as well as advertising banners. 

The Acre is the one that really caught our eyes, having a special folding top that gives the contents protection from water as well as naughty hands. It is entirely hand made from inner tubes of industrial vehicles such as trucks, and consists of 3 useful interior pockets. 

One additional benefit of the Acre Backpack is that the rolltop can be adjusted, which means you can actually fit it more items (or souvenirs) if you need to, simply by reducing the amount of roll when you close the bag. 

The function is very intuitive, so that’s no complicated zippers or clippers to fumble around. You know what, it is so cool that you boyfriend/husband would not mind carrying it around the entire trip!

5. Vaude Wizard 24 + 4


vaude-wizard-24

Material: Polyamide with Eco Finish

Colours: Black, Fjord Blue, Olive, Blue Sapphire, Indian Red (above)

Measurement: 18.9″W x 11.8″H x 10.6″D (48 x 30 x 27 cm)


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Vaude is a name that is widely popular with hikers and outdoors people. They make really quality products and comes in at an affordable price range. So when we discovered that Vaude actually made a series suitable for Vegans, we got pretty excited. 

The series is packed full of technology, from the Eco Finish that makes it water repellent, to the Aeroflex Easy Adjust suspension system. 

This does not mean that it is complicated to use though. It just makes the backpack so much more comfortable to carry around when you are able to customise it to your preference. 

The Wizard is also marked with the Green Shape label, which means that the production of these bags go through a strict process of ensuring that eco-friendly and sustainable practices were used. 

Materials selected for this series are also specially picked, including hemp and organic cotton. Vaude has really taken this commitment further by partnering with several independent bodies to ensure they play by the rules. 

The +4 in its name means that you can expand the capacity from 24l to 28l, certainly very useful when you want to squeeze in that extra pack of chocolates you bought at duty free!

6. Po Campo Irving Backpack Pannier 2


po-campo-irving-pannier-backpack-2

Material: Vegan friendly fabrics

Colours: Black Herringbone, Brushstroke (above)

Measurement: 12.25”W x 16.75”H x 6.5”D (31 x 42.5 x 16.5 cm)


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The story behind Po Campo is quite cute. The founder, Maria Boustead, was living in Germany before moving to Chicago. That’s where she discovered that the roads are mostly flat and in a grid, which makes perfect sense to ride a bicycle. 

Continuing on her love for cycling, she knew she needed a bag that can go everywhere with her and her bike, which led to starting Po Campo.

Today, the company is well known for its smart and funky designs. They are all vegan friendly, omitting the use of leather in all their products since 2013. 

With her industrial design background, Maria has come up with some ingenious designs that marries functionality with style. This particular model, the Irving, converts easily from a pannier (basket bag for bicycles) to a backpack in seconds. 

It is waterproof and stores a bucket load of things. The design is so special; you’re not gonna miss out your backpack anywhere in the crowd!

7. Nepal Hemp


nepal-hemp-backpack

Material: Nepal Hemp and yarn

Colours: Various

Measurement: 12″W x 16″H x 5″D (30.5 x 40.6 x 12.7 cm)


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If you checked out its official site, it does look a bit like they are selling weed, but there’s really none of that. Some of you that are anti-cannabis might not be keen to look into this company, but for those looking for an affordable, vegan and ultra unique design, Nepal Hemp is the obvious choice. 

Digging deeper into what they do, the company produces a huge range of products made from hemp canvas and material sourced from the Himalayans. Its product line includes bags, wallets and footwear, and are all hand made! 

Buying products from Nepal Hemp goes a long way to support the local economy, and give them a chance to keep on producing these cool stuff. 

This particular model is quite small, so it would be most suitable for a day out. As the material is soft, it folds and packs away easily into your luggage. 

One thing we know is that carrying one of their backpacks around is a sure conversation starter.

8. Adventurist Classic Backpack


adventurist-classic-backpack

Material: Polyester and synthetic leather

Colours: Black (above), Pine, Amber, Sand, Brick, Navy

Measurement: 10.5″W x 15.5″H x 6″D (26.7 x 39.3 x 15.2 cm)


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The husband and wife team behind Adventurist are outdoor lovers, and they have a simple goal: to make great, minimalist backpacks for less than $100. How cool is that! 

However, do take note there is no evidence on their site that says that their products are vegan friendly. They do use synthetic leather, in which some types are actually vegan friendly. 

But the main reason this backpack made the list is really cool: for each backpack they sell, they provide 25 meals to families in need all across the United States. This feeding program also works to reduce food wastage. That’s a mission worth supporting. 

The Classic is so simple and beautifully designed, plus it is made to be water resistant, and good padding on its straps ensure you can carry it around without feeling the weight. Excellent for travelling and even on short day hikes too. 

9. United by Blue Base Backpack


united-by-blue-base-backpack-black

Material: Recycled polyester

Colours: Black (above), Mountain Vista

Measurement: 13″W x 17.75″H x 7″D (33 x 45 x 17.8 cm)


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United by Blue has a similar story with the second brand on our list, as they pledge to remove 1 pound of garbage from our oceans with each purchase. As of now, they have removed a whopping 3 million pounds and counting! 

Since their inception, they have done some impressive work in cleaning up, and they make use of materials that are GOTS certified. This is a globally recognised certification that means United by Blue uses sustainably sourced materials. 

Here is a quick look at the exclusive materials they use for their products, which includes outfits, accessories and backpacks: BisonShield, SoftHemp and EcoKnit. 

Beyond using sustainable materials, their production line positively impacts its workers as well, partnering with ethical factories all across the globe. 

The Base Backpack is perfect for travelling. It has a water repellent finish and well situated pockets to keep things organised. 

10. Urban Expressions Jive Backpack


urban-expressions-jive-backpack

Material: Nylon

Colours: Slate, Midnight Blue

Measurement: 11.5″W x 12.5″H x 7″W (29.2 x 31.8 x 17.8 cm)


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Urban Expressions was founded in 2005 by 2 entrepreneurs, with an aim to produce high quality animal free products that are modern and beautiful to look at. With this in mind, they were certified by both PETA and Vegan Org, making this a perfect choice for vegan shoppers. 

In fact, if you poked around on their official website, you will find that they are pushing the vegan lifestyle in a big way, and even has a brand ambassador program to promote its cause. 

The Jive Backpack is suitable for those who demands to make a fashion statement, yet retain the functionality of a good backpack. 

Made of nylon and fitted with numerous useful pockets, the Jive is large enough to go on a day trip or bring along for a long vacation. Due to its strong and durable material, this is one backpack that is built to last. 

11. Stella McCartney Falabella Monogram


stella-mccartney-falabella-monogram

Material: Proprietary 100% ECONYL® recycled nylon

Colours: White

Measurement: 10.6″W x 15.7″H x 7″L  (27 x 40 x 18 cm)


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Stella McCartney doesn’t really need an introduction to most, as she is a well known animal rights activist beyond her business interests. 

Not only are her products vegan friendly, they are exceptionally designed with recognisable features that make them stand out in the crowd. This means that they come with a price tag though, but you know that you will be getting your hands on a high quality, unique and ethical product. 

A quick look on her website tells you about the impact the company has made, giving a hand in numerous non-profit organisations that promote sustainability and care for wildlife. 

The Falabella Monogram Backpack is an unmistakable Stella design, combining simplicity with an instantly recognisable look. 

While it is definitely not the most functional, it is the top choice for stylish and practical ladies.

Which is the best women’s vegan backpack? Verdict

It is not an easy task searching for vegan backpacks, so hopefully we have helped to streamline your research. Veganism is a really interesting topic to look further into, and even if you are not a vegan, you can certainly do your part for our world and environment by supporting these companies. 

If you know of any other brands out there, please let me know! 

Share this with your friends and start saving our earth one backpack at a time! 

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